K.'s 360-page monograph is a welcome addition to Graeco-Roman relief and classical reception scholarship. Joining a growing body of work concerned with the representation of space, K. expertly utilises 250 black-and-white plates to illustrate his arguments. Analyses of Graeco-Roman sculptural reliefs have typically been restricted to individual site contexts, confined within either Greek or Roman historical frameworks (though this has lessened), or focused on material analysis to determine provenance (see, for instance, M.C. Sturgeon, ‘Five Recent Books on Hellenistic and Roman Sculptures from the Greek East and Italy’, American Journal of Archaeology 119 [2015], 271–7). Alternatively, they have often been presented as broad art histories in textbook formats (A.A. Donohue and M.D. Fullerton, Ancient Art and its Historiography [2003]; E.A. Friedland, M.G. Sobocinski and E.K. Gazda, The Oxford Handbook of Roman Sculpture [2015]). This fragmented approach demanded an integrated and comprehensive study that transcends these divisions, offering a holistic understanding of relief sculpture across diverse contexts and periods. K.'s book does just this.
K. skilfully navigates the fluidity of sculpture relief in Graeco-Roman art, avoiding the imposition of anachronistic timelines. Instead, he engages with foundational scholarship from the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries to revisit early conceptions of classical art (e.g. see D.E. Strong, Roman Art [1988], pp. 11–12). This is a common theme of the essays in the third section of Friedland, Sobocinski and Gazda (2015), and it can be referred to as ‘retrospective styles’ (see C. Hemingway, ‘Retrospective Styles in Greek and Roman Sculpture’, in: Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History [2007]). K. draws on key figures such as Winckelmann, Hildebrand and Carpenter,Footnote 1 many of whom are ‘if not largely forgotten, seemingly seldom read’ (p. 6), to revitalise long-standing debates on spatial effects and the achievements of ancient artists. Additionally, K. merges the Spatial Turn with the Sensory Turn, emphasising the holistic environment surrounding material objects. He explores how ancient audiences perceived an artwork's ‘atmosphere’, accounting for lost details like paint, and examines the effects of lighting, sound, weather and smells. By integrating these foundational ideas with modern scholarship, he deepens our understanding of relief sculpture and its wider artistic significance. This approach ensures that readers, regardless of expertise, gain a sophisticated appreciation of the complexities and innovations in Graeco-Roman art.
The book opens by defining the fundamental principles of relief sculpture, focusing on the dynamic interaction between foreground and background. K. then analyses the diversity of forms and styles, with particular attention to flatness, planarity and realism. He explores the challenges ancient artists faced in creating cohesive spatial depictions in relief, often referencing frescoes and mosaics for comparison. In his conclusion K. argues that, despite the technical achievements of these artists, using shadows, overlapping figures and symbolic motifs, ‘a coherent representation of space in relief was impossible’ (p. 246).
In Chapter 1 K. examines the intricate relationship between figures and space in relief and vase art, challenging strict chronological interpretations (p. 26). He contends that the physical nature of relief hinders it from achieving the perspective found in ancient painting (p. 38). However, his stance on plain backgrounds is less persuasive; K. concedes relief backgrounds were often painted, resulting in non-mimetic effects due to shadows that diminish illusionary depth. This perspective assumes ancient viewers interpreted depictions literally, though this assumption is revisited by K. in Chapter 7, where he cites Vitruvius’ acknowledgement that depictions in art can diverge from reality (De Arch. 7.5) (p. 258).
In Chapter 2 K. effectively incorporates the aesthetic concerns of earlier scholars, demonstrating a deep understanding of the major theorists. He examines how ancient viewers perceived art and traces the evolution of relief sculpture, arguing that high relief allowed figures to assume three-dimensional space and transform their visual impact (p. 78). The practicalities of carving and their implications for artists’ conceptions are tackled in Chapter 3, where K. draws on Michelangelo's technique for submerging sculptures in water to support his analysis. In this discussion he adeptly addresses the limitations of spatial representation, underscoring the importance of understanding the process of creation for interpreting the meaning and intended depiction of sculptures.
In Chapter 4 K. delves into the ‘useful’ traits of various relief types and the challenges of dating them based on spatial representation. He references the observations of F. Matz (‘Pergamonfriese und Hellenistische Malerei’, AA [1932], 278–85; ‘Bemerkungen zur römischen Komposition’, Abh. Mainz 8 [1952], 3–25) and F. Koepp (‘Der Ursprung des Hochreliefs bei den Griechen’, Jdl 2 [1887], 118–24; ‘Kritische Bemerkungen zum römischen Relief’, GöttNachr [1926], pp. 322–50) regarding the difficulty of determining temporal relationships, with plurality of styles sometimes co-existing in the same relief. Instead, K. promotes a view of artistic pluralism where different forms were used concurrently, as famously seen on the Ara Pacis.
In Chapter 5 K. analyses various types of pictorial relief, demonstrating how multiple viewpoints construct an imaginary realm while advancing artistic conventions. He highlights how traditional subjects adapted to new standards of form and genre over time, with spatial representation becoming central to landscape as a distinct genre by the late nineteenth century. His focus on technical details, such as the realism of blank spaces (pp. 185–6), offers valuable insight but lacks a deeper engagement with sensory contexts.
In the Coda K. outlines four key conclusions: (1) ancient artists used flexible perspectives to suggest space, diverging from the precision of modern techniques; (2) nineteenth- and early twentieth-century historians applied psychological theories of memory and vision to relief art, broadening classical interpretations; (3) multiple artistic styles coexisted, demonstrating the classical tradition's adaptability and innovation, rather than a decline in artistic skill; and (4) historiographic traditions continue to shape modern interpretations, with scholars often repeating earlier analyses, similar to ancient artists’ dynamic engagement with tradition.
While some arguments regarding the significance of understanding flat backgrounds may warrant further exploration within spatial and sensory contexts (where material remains and contexts are available), the overall depth and breadth of K.'s study ensures that readers gain a heightened appreciation for ancient relief sculpture. Especially valuable for scholars seeking to address gaps in architectural or historical contexts, as well as missing physical attributes like protruding iron spears or traces of paint, the book successfully employs older scholarship to enrich our understanding of the physical composition of relief artworks and Graeco-Roman paintings. In this way K.'s book stands as a masterful synthesis of historical, aesthetic and practical insights into Graeco-Roman relief art and its spatial representation. His meticulous engagement with both past and contemporary scholarship, coupled with a nuanced analysis of artistic techniques and viewer perception, establishes this work as an indispensable contribution to the field.
